Dr. Helmer B. Montejo is not just a leader who inspires, motivates, and guides others towards a common goal but also a leader who is visionary, emphatic, resilient, accountable, communicative, and adaptable.  As the Associate Dean for General Education, Research Director, and Languages Department Chair, he possesses a clear vision and the ability to communicate to the team.  In Talisay City College, he sets direction and inspires others to follow.  He helps build trust and a positive team environment by understanding and sharing the feelings of his team, the teachers in the Languages Department.  He has 30 teachers under his care and supervision, the largest group among other departments.  Even with challenges and setbacks, he is able to navigate and maintain a positive attitude by providing support to his team during difficult times.  More importantly, he is accountable for his actions and decisions.  He is a good communicator who is able to clearly express ideas, expectations, and feedback by listening actively to his team’s ideas and concerns.  One good thing about him is that he is flexible and open to change.  He understands the different situations around him and applies different approaches to address them.

As an academic leader, he is dedicated and responsible having developed a vision for the Languages Department.  His vision is somehow reflected in his values and beliefs about education and learning.  When took office as the Languages Department Chair, he became a formidable force by setting good examples of leadership in education bringing inspiration to all teachers. He supports programs and activities specifically within the Languages Department with two active scholastic organizations namely TCC Aristocrats and Tagapagtaguyod ng Diwang Filipino (TADIFIL). When TCC Aristocrats has their first virtual assembly, he graced the event by granting an interview with them.  His message to the young people was so inspiring that it made the youth wanting to have more engagements with him. Not only that he supports students in their local endeavors, he also encourages them to participate in international conferences. This year, Talisay City College through the efforts of Dr. Helmer B. Montejo, participated in the 1st International Research Conference on Diversified and Multidisciplinary Education for Graduating College Students.

He effectively communicates his vision by crucially aligning his team towards the common goal.  He understands that communication is a two-way street. He listens to his team’s feedback and opens himself to other ideas.  He sees to it that his team feels invested in the vision that he has for the organization by involving them in the process, giving them ownership, recognizing their contributions and providing training and development opportunities.  In fact, he propelled Talisay City College by participating in the EduGems-initiated survey which led the way for the College to win FREE access to EduGems ESD Training. EduGems has been nominated by the UN Association of Finland as the ONLY nominee from Finland competing for the UNESCO – Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development. Trainees from TCC participated in a high-quality and respected training program unlike no other to this day. It was a 5-member team for this training lead by Dr. Helmer B. Montejo.  The training was completed in May 2023.

Dr. Montejo is also a community leader.  He sees things as opportunities to make a significant impact on the lives of the people around him.  He leads by example by showing the community the kind of behavior he wants to see.  He is honest, respectful, and considerate.  This is the reason why he gains the trust and respect from the community.  He is also accessible and approachable.  He makes people feel comfortable and listens to their ideas, concerns, or problems.  He is present in many community events.  He encourages participation.  Recently, he partnered with Smart Communications, Inc. and distributed seeds of hope to the faculty members for the sole purpose of engaging the community through the faculty in sustainable development programs.

Truly, Dr. Montejo is a leader defined in so many ways.  He is an influence.  He influences others towards achieving a common goal.  He empowers others to be their best.  He is visionary with the ability to create and communicate a compelling vision for Talisay City College, for the Languages Department, and for the Research Center.  He is a person of service.  He puts the needs of others first and help them perform as highly as possible.  He is a person who embraces change.  He challenges the status quo and navigates his teachers through change.  Through these unique characteristics of dr. Montejo, he is able to inspire Talisay City College and the community by leading with authenticity, empathy, and purpose.  He shows others that they too can overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.  He fosters positive, supportive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered.  That is Dr. Helmer B. Montejo, an academic leader, a leader in research, a community leader, and a leader in sports.

Evidence of his works: